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Posts tagged as “Pilots”

HBO’s victory lap and a garbage can (Week Roundup)

HBO’s victory lap and a garbage can (Week Roundup)

On this week’s TV news link roundup: pilot season mad-dash, the Sopranos final sequence by its director, a cable victory lap, some YouTube garbage and ABC Family targets a new buzz word.

Tight Production Schedules Put Pressure On Pilot Quality

An interesting look at the mad-dash of pilot season, especially since pilots are being ordered later and later.

All networks, particularly ABC and CBS, were again way behind in their pickups, compressing the time for staffing, casting and producing the pilots.

Let’s be honest here. Network pilots have never had that much lead-time to begin with. It’s always been an insane game of last-minute reshoots and deliveries. There’s a reason pilots have often (if not always) been considered a show’s weakest episode. That is, until “they” run the concept into the ground by season five.
The crazy news of the article however comes from the opening date of Upfront Week: May 11. Yes, that’s hell-a early and “the earliest in at least a decade”. Good luck to post-production.

Eight years after it aired, David Chase explains how he created the excruciating tension of the last Sopranos scene

It was my decision to direct the episode such that whenever Tony arrives someplace, he would see himself. He would get to the place and he would look and see where he was going.

Spoiler alert: he doesn’t say what happens after.
Although not directly related to the show’s writing per se, it is still worth the gander. Definitely a must-read if if you care even just a bit about the visual component of this historical HBO show.

And speaking of HBO…

At the Head of the Pack, HBO Shows the Way Forward

The NY Times rocked it with an in-depth look at the inside of HBO’s current programming direction. Watch and read as Richard Plepler, HBO’s CEO, makes a victory lap.

Interesting, isn’t it, that at a time that’s been called the most competitive moment in our industry’s history, we have, in my opinion, the best array of content in our history.

Best array of content in your history? While HBO’s 2015 series are certainly more popular while airing than the ones from the 2000s, I’m not sure the quality and endurance compares. The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, Rome, Deadwood, Carnivàle and The Wire just called. And it was a weird conference call.
The piece also states that back in 2007/2008 “[HBO’s] content cupboard was bare, and rival TV executives openly referred to the cable network as HB-Over.”
Was “HB-Over” an actual thing? Well, yes. In fact, it came from this previous NY Times piece where Showtime’s chairman and CEO Matthew C. Blank was quoted:

HB-Over. I’ve heard that term used for HBO both outside and inside our network.

Tough pill to swallow now that Starz has taken Showtime’s second place in the premium cable world. Woops.
It’ll be interesting to see how CBS competes with HBO Now’s (nearly) independent streaming service.

Seinfeld calls YouTube a ‘giant garbage can’

Although Seinfeld was joking, he was in fact touting his Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee arriving at Crackle.

When you get to a certain point in the business, what a man is looking for in a network is the same thing he’s looking for in his underwear. He’s looking for a little bit of support and a little bit of freedom. And that’s exactly what Crackle offered.

You can tell how much he respects online content. I think he’s reached that rare apex of making people giving him money laugh as he openly mocks them.

ABC Family Doubles Down on Original Programming to Reach Young Women

Or as they call them, the “becomers”. Shudder.
In non-buzzy marketing words, they’re referring to young women between 14 and 29 “entering new life phases”. This is good news for the content side of things: the cable network is on the verge of announcing at the upfronts it will “double its original programming slate over the next four years”. ABC Family president Tom Ascheim also added:

The phone is the first smart TV. It’s an incredible source of video. We’re also embedding the social tools they love so much into the ABC Watch experience.

ABC Wat–Oh. For a second there I thought you were referring to Android Wear and apps for your wrist. You’re just talking about your VOD service. Gotcha. Actually, that makes me want to develop some kind of app for smartwatches. Maybe a crappy asymmetric viewing experience?
ABC Family is actually revamping its online viewing service this summer to increase mobile viewing. No surprise there considering that phones are now the way most 25-and-under watch video content.
And the AdWeek article is already talking about Generation Z. God help us.

Profiles of Television: Kiyong Kim – TV Writing Fellow

Profiles of Television: Kiyong Kim – TV Writing Fellow

Profiles of Television is an ongoing interview series showcasing the variety of professionals in the TV industry, from writers and producers, to those in development, representation, and post-production. These are the many talents involved in television, and the personal journeys behind them.

Today’s guest is Kiyong Kim. A multi-talented comedy writer, he had the opportunity of working through two amazing fellowships (Nickelodeon and NBC’s Writers on the Verge) as well as currently participating in the CAAM mentorship program.
Let’s see what he has to say.

The Medium

First things first: why the television calling?
Originally, I wanted to write features. I had a writing teacher who suggested I try writing for TV, which I had no interest in until The Office came out. It was different, and I felt like I really got that show and the sense of humor. There was a sadness to the show that I really liked.
Around the same time, someone I knew got into the Nickelodeon Writing Fellowship. Until then, I didn’t know these fellowship programs even existed. I saw that as an entryway into television that didn’t really exist for features, and I thought I should try.

Three words to describe what you write.
Comedy without heart? Though I’m trying to add some to the pilot I’m working on now.

Three words to describe how you write.
Structured, because I like outlines. Slow, with pilots. And then—what is one word to describe when you’re on the verge of quitting? Whatever that word would be is the third word. Despair?

Name—
—the television series that has influenced you the most:
The Simpsons for the sense of humor. I’ve been watching it from the beginning and I still see the latest episodes, even in season 20-something. It influenced a lot of people. What it did really well was make good use of the medium of animation, unlike something like King of the Hill which could have basically been live-action.
And again, The Office as the show for making me actually want to write for TV.

—the one episode of television that defines you:
I don’t know if it defines me, but I thought about it a lot, and that Red Wedding episode of Game of Thrones was something else. I saw those YouTube videos of people freaking out while watching that one crazy scene at the end. People started crying, screaming, and throwing things at the TV. Seriously, people don’t react like that when people die in real life. It was a great reminder at how much impact a story can have.

—the television episode that impressed you the most:
Recently, the season finale of Silicon Valley was pretty amazing. Before that, the ‘Chaos Theory’ episode of Community.

—the show you wish was still on the air:
I liked Happy Endings. I was disappointed it got cancelled.

—the show you would never publicly admit to watching, except right now:
SpongeBob Squarepants.

—the show you wish you had worked on:
Friends. It’s still funny. I watch reruns now and it holds up. So many shows since then have tried to recapture that. Each character was so distinct and likeable.
Kiyong Kim Smiling

The Journey

What has been, so far, your journey in the television industry?
I did web design for years and years despite never wanting to do web design. On nights and weekends, I was making short films and was thinking of writing and directing a feature soon. Around that time someone I knew entered the Nickelodeon Fellowship.
I had meant to write a spec for a while, so I wrote one for The Office. I made it to the finalist round but didn’t get in that year. The next, I tried again, and got in.
I learned a lot at Nickelodeon but didn’t get staffed. The following year, I got into the NBC Writers on the Verge program, which was about four months long. Again, noting happened. I had to go back to doing design.
This year, I got into the CAAM Fellowship, where they assign mentors individually to each of the fellow. I was lucky enough to get the person I wanted, Kourtney Kang (How I Met Your Mother). She’s helping me with my pilot and it’s been great.

What is the hardest thing about being a television writing fellow?
There’s a lot of pressure since you feel like you’re so close. Both times I felt like it was my chance, but nothing happened. Of course, there are never any guarantees in the industry, even for people already staffed or repped. Their shows get canceled or they don’t get asked back. That’s just the nature of the business.
At some point, I had to seriously ask myself—Is that something I can live with forever? Is the uncertainty something I can accept? Because if not, I should just quit now and save myself the aggravation. Since I’m a masochist, I’m still going.

What is the easiest thing about being a television writing fellow?
There’s nothing easy. There are lots of really short deadlines, trying to impress the right people, trying to push yourself, or being good in the room. Luckily, all the other writers were supportive of each other. Everyone was extremely talented, and generous.

What is the biggest takeaway from your experience in the fellowships?
For Nickelodeon, it was how much the non-writing stuff matters. Presentation, pitching yourself, egos, the politics of things, and even how luck is involved.
For NBC, the biggest takeaway was that I need to speak up more in the room.

Can you talk about the CAAM mentorship process?
It’s been about a month since Kourtney and I started. When we met up, I pitched her two pilot ideas, and she liked one of them, so that’s the one I’m working on. I fleshed out the story, figured out the characters, and am ready to start outlining.
Having someone with so much experience give notes is incredible, especially in the early stages when you’re trying to figure out the conceptual stuff of how the show will work. I’m very grateful for this opportunity.

What is your day-to-day like?
I have my full-time day job. 40-50 hours a week, fairly regular. So then I have to write on nights and weekends, which is difficult. But I do remind myself that even on a show, I’d have to work on my own projects nights and weekends. Luckily, I also have my writing group, which meets every other week right now. That’s been a life-saver—receiving notes, pitching ideas, all the free therapy.

Who do you look up to in the television industry?
I love Greg Daniels. The Office, Parks & Recreation. He also did animation with King of the Hill and The Simpsons. That’s a pretty ridiculous resume.

What is the ideal job you would like to ultimately have?
Running my own show, which is probably what everybody wants. Or just writing for a good show with people you can get along with. Can’t really ask for more than that.

When people from outside the industry ask what you do, what do you tell them?
Currently, I probably don’t mention that I write, just the web design since that’s how I pay the bills.

What is your best professional advice to someone who wants to do what you do?
Well, I don’t feel qualified to give “professional” advice because I’m not a professional writer. I got into a couple fellowships, but I’m not staffed or even repped.
However, what I’m personally trying to do is to have solid writing samples, and meet people who will read my writing. Between writing and networking, I’d probably give more priority to the writing. A sub par writing sample read by the right people isn’t really going to help you.

What is your best personal advice to someone who wants to do what you do?
Give up now. [laughs] Why would you do this to yourself unless you had to? There are so many other, easier ways to make money. When I took the Nick Fellowship, it was huge pay-cut for me. Logically it made no sense. No sane person would do this. If there’s anything else you want to do, do that instead. If you’re cursed like me where you have to write, then prepare to be in it for the long haul.

What is your next step?
I’m finishing this pilot, and hopefully Kourtney will like it. Ideally, the pilot will lead to me getting representation, and then hopefully staffed.
After that, I’ve been wanting to try some sci-fi, either as a low-budget feature to direct, or as a pilot script. I also want to try to pitch an animated show at Nick, Disney and Cartoon Network. I met people while I was at the Nick Fellowship, and I went to art school for illustration, so I think animation would be something I’d be good at.

Any last words?
Don’t make excuses. Don’t blame your lack of success on others. Get feedback from others; it’s hard to be objective about your own work. Be prolific. Finish things.

—

Many thanks to the wickedly talented Kiyong Kim!

You can follow him on his personal blog of creative pursuits, where he chronicles his own television journey. He is also on Twitter.

“Breaking Rules” — Speccing And Sharing Star Trek: Terran

“Breaking Rules” — Speccing And Sharing Star Trek: Terran

Click Here For Part I – Presenting Star Trek: Terran

Click Here For Part II – “Why Star Trek?”: The State of an Enduring Franchise

We’ve already explored the reasons why Trek should come back on TV. But working on Star Trek: Terran was also about something beyond the beloved franchise.
From speccing an original pilot script based on an existing property, to publicly sharing it online, here’s a writer’s perspective on the experience.

Speccing a Franchise

One of the basic rules of writing specs is to never write a script around something you don’t own the rights to.
Shocker: I don’t own the rights to Star Trek.
In fact, as we saw yesterday, corporate ownership of the franchise is convoluted (at best), with CBS and Paramount both in the middle of the space pie. Given how “mainstream” the rebooted universe is, it would be pretty strange to get a new Star Trek TV show that is set in the original, prime universe. Yet, it’s CBS that is doing the TV side of things, and they have nothing to do with that version. There’s also been many articles written on theoretical Trek shows, from a Worf-centric spin-off to Bryan Singer’s 30th-century series.

All in all, it seemed very unlikely that Star Trek would come back to television anytime soon. So I said: the hell with it.
I decided to write my own proof of concept of what a new Trek show could be.
Going in, I knew speccing a copyrighted universe would be suicidal on a development level. It’s not as if the show is ever gonna get made.
As I’ve previously said, the primary reason was to offer an original take on the franchise. But beyond, this was about something beyond the script itself. I’m not trying to pitch something to make it happen, I’m pitching it for what it represents. Hope for a new series, and also a comment about something else…

Download the pilot script (.PDF)

Sharing the Craft

With Terran, I wanted to do something different. It is, after all, an experiment. Not just about Star Trek, but about script sharing.
Distributing an original pilot script online may raise a few eyebrows. However, when was the last time anyone was excited about a script? (Never.)
Granted, I don’t think that many people will care about my script specifically, although this is more about the other side of that coin.

I want to show to all my faithful readers and aspiring TV writers out there that it’s okay to share your work.
Television is a collaborative medium. We’re not writing novels, we’re making episodic scripts. And we should be learning from each other.

Sadly, besides produced scripts being traded in the shadows of Internet, there’s almost no TV writer, aspiring or pro, willing to openly share their work.
And I have to say: it’s weird.
I’m not talking about sharing projects currently in development/production or making the rounds. What I’m referring to is all the other stuff. The failed pitches, the finished projects, the canceled ventures.
This isn’t a question of getting/wanting validation from the outside. It’s obvious most writers already have a group, or an entourage whose opinion they care about. It’s about sharing the craft. The experience of TV writing.
That’s one of the reasons why I put Terran out there. Like any spec, it’s an ongoing work in progress, and I do welcome any feedback I get. Yet, I don’t expect it to be made (copyright issues notwithstanding). I put it out, in part, to share the process (good and bad).

When it comes to TV writing, there’s one example that comes to mind of someone actually “sharing his craft”: the awesome Javi Grillo-Marxuach.
Through his Squarespace site, he has been offering plenty of material, ranging from TV pitch documents, to pilots and episodic scripts. Talk about a resource.

Which makes you wonder: why isn’t anyone else doing it?

A Fear of Theft

There’s a lot to say about the rampant fear that some writers have about someone stealing their brilliant ideas, especially when it comes to specs.
For one thing, it’s unwarranted.
You should absolutely register your work at the Writers’ Guild, but that doesn’t mean you need to be paranoid about it.

Ultimately, what risks are you taking by sharing your work, scripts and pitches alike (especially if you’re a pro)? (Again, I’m not talking about projects in development/production or ones you don’t want online for similar reasons.)
If you answered “someone may steal my super sweet lines”, I’m sorry to say that syntax technology has reached the masses.
More importantly, if someone cares so much about your writing that they’re willing to copy parts of your style, what does that say about your talent?
“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” may sound trite, but here it’s pretty much the truth.
Even thinking that someone is desperate enough to plagiarize your work is, well, a bit presumptuous to begin with. It’s doubtful someone will bother.

The same exact thing can be applied to spec scripts, both original pilots and based on existing shows. In fact, you should be less scared about sharing your work and “theft” if you’re an aspiring writer. Trust me, the writing staff of The Walking Dead isn’t going to steal your cool idea.
Why? If your idea is that amazing, then chances are pretty freaking high that the staff (the one that talks, thinks, breathes this show 24/7), has come up with a variation of said idea/script multiple times. And that’s before you even thought of it. Spoiler alert: they won’t need to be aware of your spec to do the brilliant idea.

As for original specs, well that’s part of why I posted Terran. To disprove the myths about everybody ripping you off. If anything, you’ll get constructive feedback from people reading the script. Speaking of, I want to thank all the people that have been interest in reading the script. Clearly, you guys have great taste.

Educational Purposes Only

We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.

– John Dewey

Perhaps another reason why people are reticent to share their work is because of the type of projects that would be online. Seeing as you can’t put scripts in development or in production, you’d end up with a lot of what some may consider creative “failures” (I don’t — they’re merely unrealized opportunities). For examples, pitches that didn’t really advance past a certain stage. Among other writings, that’s exactly what you’ll find on Javi’s (and John August’s) site(s).

On some level, sharing unproduced scripts is giving fans more of what they want. Both writers have unique writing styles, and it’s great to read what they do.
It’s also about sharing experience and knowledge. When you’re speccing an existing show, you’ll be reverse-engineering the process of breaking the story.
The same can be applied to reading other writers’ projects, regardless of where the projects ended up.
Every writer has a different approach to the craft, and it’s always a learning experience to read someone else’s work. Even “failed pitches” are not actually failures. “Those who cannot remember the past…”

Writing can be a personal affair, but TV is communal. It’s teamwork. We’re all in this together.

I wish writers were more willing to openly share their work, especially when it comes to television.
It’s high time we started learning from each other’s craft. Why not become a team writer yourself?